Thursday, April 30, 2009

First Menie, next Scotland – Trump expands. And The Donald, the Environmentalist

This is just an excuse to revisit one of my favorite posts from last year.From The Scotsman:

DONALD Trump is poised to expand his global business empire by taking over recession-hit, high-profile developments in Scotland and elsewhere in Europe, The Scotsman can reveal.

The billionaire, who is behind the controversial £1 billion golf and housing development at the Menie estate in Aberdeenshire, is involved in "ongoing discussions" about a buy-out of several major projects in Scotland that have been stalled by the slump...

You know the green movement has reached its peak when Donald Trump proclaims himself an environmentalist.

Mr. Trump is trying to build a golf course on an unspoiled stretch of land in northern Scotland. Reflecting his usual penchant for modesty, Mr. Trump says the course will be the “best in the world,” and far superior to the legendary courses at St. Andrews....

...Mr. Trump attended a hearing on the proposal yesterday to try and save it. (Here’s the BBC article and video of Mr. Trump’s press conference). After a representative of the Scottish Wildlife Trust said Mr. Trump had ignored his own environmental consultants’ advice, Mr. Trump said he didn’t need to read the reports, since he was already an expert.

“I would consider myself an environmentalist in the true sense of the word,” Mr. Trump said, a comment that drew so much laughter from the public gallery that the inquiry chairman had to call for order....MORE